photography

India

An enormous country - India, and I have seen just a smidge. From my forays, my summary would be the people are gracious and proud and the scenery sublime, the cities are a maze of energy and activity and there is so much variety in the culture and people as you move from one region to another.

I have been to some amazing places in India from Mumbai to Darjeeling and then in to the Sunderbans looking for tigers. I have stayed in a quirky hotel in Udaipur a place where I felt the market was like been at a coral reef with exotic coloured fish. On a horse ride through the countryside to a castle, through villages and forest and clip clopping on cobblestones we rode.

I have been harrassed by thugs at the burning ghat in Varanasi. I was intimidated and threatened before being led in to a pitch dark hospice where sat a "sadhu" by a small fire. I was asked to pay a donation for the photo of the burning ghat, a shot I wanted but knew of the consequences so it didn't cross my mind and there was so much else to photograph.

But here I was being cajoled for a donation for my error. I asked "How much do you think is suitable?" he responded gently, "It is up to you." "Great" I said. "Here's the rupee equivalent of $5." And I handed it to him. I don't think this has happened to him before because everyone there seemed to freeze. Once he gained his composure, he said with a leery disdain, "But this is not enough." I pointed out as it was up to me then it was my decision how much of a "donation" I was going to make. I thought $5 was fair for being intimidated and scared to hell.

Cheaper than theme park.

And then with absolute graciousness he thanked me and all the hard cases relaxed. Then one peeled his way from the mob and gave me the best view over the ghat and a full history lesson. I felt so relieved that I wasn't going to be another body in the Ganges I even asked if I could get some shots of him and his gang and some of the "sadhu" but this didn't go down well.

I was in Allahabad for the last Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of humanity that this planet has ever been witness to.